


Transcendence

by ASchwartz33



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Angel Wings, Eventual Happy Ending, Guardian angel Uchiha Shisui, Hatake Kakashi Needs a Hug, Hatake Kakashi-centric, M/M, Shimura Danzou Being an Asshole, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:07:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26489149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASchwartz33/pseuds/ASchwartz33
Summary: Anbu captain Kakashi finds himself being followed by a winged stranger claiming to be an Uchiha.Tenzo thinks he's crazy.Kakashi isn't so sure anymore either.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi/Uchiha Shisui
Comments: 36
Kudos: 125
Collections: Kakashi Week 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Kakashi week 2020, Kakashi's birthday!

Kakashi took in the crisp morning air as he circled the perimeter of their camp. Even two masks couldn't prevent the fresh scent of the forest from entering Kakashi's sensitive nose. The daylight was breaking through the trees, bathing the deserted farmhouse they had spent the night in with a soft yellow glow. 

Birds sang and crickets chirped, a sure sign that they were alone here even as Kakashi used his own chakra to scour the area. Being in Anbu had certainly done nothing but make him extra paranoid. 

His teammates would certainly understand. They had been ambushed two nights ago. 

Kakashi continued his path around the yard, trudging through grass that was nearly waist high. He passed the small deteriorating tool shed, and his entire body froze for a second. 

Immediately, Kakashi jumped back a few meters, pulling his tanto from his back and steadying himself into a fighting stance. Both eyes focused on the fence, hardly standing itself, and yet supporting the weight of the man sitting casually on it. 

The guy was young, probably around Kakashi's age, his wavy black hair blowing softly with the morning breeze and his black eyes trained on his own. He was wearing basic shinobi attire, a simple shirt and old dark pants. He sat with his back against the tool shed, one leg bent and his arm propped up on the knee. 

"Good morning." The man replied cheekily, one leg swinging carelessly while the other remained propped up. 

Kakashi didn't answer, scanning with his chakra and coming up empty. 

_ He couldn't sense this man.  _

If he didn't look  _ entirely  _ like a shinobi, Kakashi would believe him to be a civilian. His muscles were clearly well formed, even the leg he was swinging moving with a cat-like grace, and obvious callouses along his fingers from handling kunai. 

If he didn't know better, he would say he was an Uchiha. 

"What's the matter?  _ Cat got your tongue _ ?" The man asked lightheartedly, laughing as he stood on top of the fence that  _ shouldn't  _ be able to support any weight. 

"Who are you?" Kakashi growled. "What do you want?" 

The man chuckled, dropping down gracefully onto the grass. He kept his distance, but Kakashi remained on guard. 

"I'm not here to  _ hurt  _ you, Kakashi. I'm from Konoha just like you are." The man spoke easily. "Shisui Uchiha, at your service." 

Kakashi felt every muscle tighten on his body. The name… was familiar. And yet, it was impossible. "The Uchiha clan is dead. Try again." He answered in a low voice. Something about trying to use the recently destroyed clan of one of his past teammates as a cheap cover angered him more than if he had said he was Sakumo Hatake. 

The stranger lost his smile for a moment, looking towards his feet with an immeasurable sadness in his large eyes. If they had been within the village, Kakashi would have believed it genuine. 

"I know." He answered in a near whisper. "I heard." 

Kakashi waited for a real answer, watching as the man kicked at the grass around him distractedly and pushed his hands into his pockets. 

"Yeah. My clan may be…  _ dead _ , but I am still Shisui Uchiha." He answered with determination, turning his deep black eyes onto him. 

Kakashi could only watch then as a large set of wings appeared as if from nowhere. It was only the double layer of masks that kept his awe hidden. Shiny black feathers covered the large appendages, springing from the man's back and spreading to nearly the length of the tool shed he stood next to. 

Kakashi took a quick step backwards, holding his tanto steady and watching with both eyes open wide. 

"Senpai?" 

Kakashi nearly jumped out of his skin as Tenzo walked up beside him calmly. 

"Senpai, what's wrong?" Tenzo asked, not even looking towards the strange being across from him. 

"There is an intruder." Kakashi answered in a growl. 

Tenzo immediately readied himself, pulling his sword and standing at Kakashi's side. "Did you already scare them off? Or are they hiding somewhere?" He whispered, looking around and straight past their winged visitor. 

Kakashi calculated the situation in his head. The sharingan didn't see anything special about "Shisui", and he couldn't detect any chakra. Tenzo had never once been fooled by an invisibility jutsu in all the time they had been teammates. 

It was entirely possible that Kakashi was imagining this. Guilt could manifest in a variety of ways, and perhaps this was his punishment for failing to stop Itachi.

An entire clan… wiped out by a former subordinate. Someone Kakashi had  _ personally trained _ . 

Kakashi nodded slowly, sheathing his tanto carefully. "Yeah. They must have wandered through by accident." He replied, ignoring the quirk of Shisui's brow. 

Kakashi decided to gamble, turning his back on the Uchiha and joining Tenzo on the path back to the house. 

Shisui's immediate presence at his side made him startle slightly, though he refused to look at the man his mind had created for him. 

"Just because you ignore me  _ doesn't  _ mean I'm going to go away." Shisui sang out happily, keeping pace easily at Kakashi's side. 

"Senpai?" Tenzo asked quietly. Clearly, Kakashi hadn't done a good job hiding his surprise. 

"It's fine, Cat. Just a small twinge in my back. I forgot to stretch earlier." He answered dismissively. Tenzo didn't respond, but Kakashi got the impression that he didn't believe him. 

"You should be nicer to your teammate." Shisui crowed, holding his hand out to sweep it over the tall blades of grass as they walked. "He cares about you."

Kakashi ignored him, rolling his eyes as he followed Tenzo into the abandoned farmhouse.

~

Shisui ran beside him the entire way home, jumping from branch to branch with his dark wings carrying him. Kakashi tried his best to ignore him, but the imaginary being wasn't making it easy on him. 

"You don't talk to your team  _ at all _ while traveling? How boring!" Shisui whined. Kakashi fought to hide his flinch each time the man talked, but he was fairly certain at least Tenzo had noticed. 

The only time Shisui was quiet was when they were standing before the third Hokage giving their report. The strange man was walking around the room, taking everything in from each angle. He spent an uncomfortable amount of time staring at the back of the old man's head, to the point that Kakashi had to stop himself from saying anything.

"Anything else to report?" Hiruzen asked, eyeing Kakashi suspiciously. Apparently, he had noticed Kakashi's eyes tracking something unseen every so often.

"No, Sir." Kakashi replied, knowing that admitting to hallucinations was the  _ last thing  _ he wanted to do. 

They left the office quickly, heading over to the Anbu headquarters next door to change.

"Would you like to grab a bite to eat, Senpai?" Tenzo asked quietly. He didn't often invite Kakashi out, and the older man had noticed a pattern. Every time their mission went south, he offered Kakashi food. The young captain had only accepted his offer one time, and yet Tenzo still offered.

This mission hadn't been difficult in the slightest, which set warning bells off in his head. Tenzo was only offering because he thought Kakashi was acting strange. "No. I'm just going to go get some sleep." Kakashi answered callously, moving away from his kohai and flickering out of the building before he could answer. 

"Whoa. That felt  _ weird _ ." Shisui spoke out as soon as Kakashi landed in the market district. The man was holding his head. "Body flickers never gave me a head rush before." He commented absently. He walked beside Kakashi easily, staring at him enough to make him uncomfortable. 

"What do you  _ want _ ?" Kakashi growled lowly, careful not to draw the attention of anyone else. 

Shisui tilted his head. "You should have accepted Tenzo's offer. He would be a good friend to you." 

Kakashi scowled beneath his fabric mask. "I don't  _ need  _ a friend. I need a teammate to watch my back and make sure I don't get killed in my sleep. That's it."

Shisui scoffed. "That is a terrible way to live."

"No one asked  _ you." _ Kakashi muttered, making a sharp turn into an alleyway. In hindsight, trying to lose someone who was a figment of his imagination wasn't his brightest move. 

"You know, you would be less lonely if you just  _ talked  _ to people once in a while." Shisui spoke casually, hopping along next to him even though his wings had disappeared again. 

Kakashi furrowed his brows, picking up his pace to get home. 

_ He just needed to sleep.  _ Once he got some decent shuteye this annoyance would be over and he wouldn't have to worry about his kohai turning him in for a psych evaluation. 

Kakashi barely gave himself time to get his armor off before collapsing onto his bed. He really  _ was  _ exhausted, and hadn't had a proper night's rest in a couple of weeks. 

Kakashi ignored the lingering presence in his room as his eyes drifted shut. It was all in his head, after all. 

"Goodnight… Kakashi."


	2. Chapter 2

Kakashi knew immediately that his plan did not work. Even before he opened his eyes, he could feel the telltale presence of the other being in his room. Kakashi nearly groaned, but stopped himself. He was still debating going back to sleep when the silence was ruined by Shisui's voice.

"I didn't think you were  _ ever _ going to wake up." The man commented, his voice much closer than Kakashi expected. 

Judging from the sound, the other man was sitting on the edge of the bed. Kakashi groaned out loud this time, rubbing his eyes as he rolled to look out the window. Usually, Kakashi woke around daybreak. Based on the high position of the sun, it was already almost noon. 

Kakashi cursed under his breath, jumping out of bed and making his way into the bathroom to take a shower. He didn't bother addressing the other man. Just because his plan didn't work, didn't mean anything had changed. The stranger was still a figment of his imagination… except now Kakashi was worried about his own mental stability. 

This last mission hadn't been difficult, and it had been over a month since the Uchiha massacre. If he was going to experience some traumatic repercussions from the whole ordeal… shouldn't that have happened long before now?

Kakashi frowned, scrubbing himself clean as quickly as possible so he could make it to the Anbu training grounds to meet up with his team. It wasn't unusual for him to be late, but this was certainly pushing the boundaries of what he was comfortable with. 

Kakashi's hair was still wet when he placed his final piece of armor and moved towards his door. He was vaguely aware of Shisui following him through the house, but somehow managed to ignore him for the most part. 

"Aren't you going to eat something?" Shisui asked, his black brows furrowed in concern as Kakashi reached for his door. 

"No." Kakashi growled, opening the door to the sight of Tenzo, in full Anbu gear with one arm raised to knock. 

Tenzo's head tilted to the side. Clearly he had heard Kakashi talking to himself again. He ignored it, waiting for Tenzo to speak first. "Senpai?"

Kakashi refused to acknowledge the obvious question. "What did you need, Tenzo?"

The use of his real name while he was in uniform worked as a distraction. "It's  _ Cat _ , Senpai. I'm here because we are getting sent out again. The Hokage has requested the two of us specifically."

Kakashi held back another groan. It seemed they had been getting sent out more often since Itachi's desertion. Konoha needed to prove that they were still a force to be reckoned with, even without one of their strongest clans. It wasn't his place to complain about being needed. If Konoha called, he would answer. He nodded, closing his door and following Tenzo to the village center with Shisui silently following him. 

~

The mission wasn't complicated, but it was trying Kakashi's patience anyway. Not because of the mission itself, but because Shisui would not quit bothering him. 

_ Aren't you going to eat something? _

_ Do you  _ **_ever_ ** _ talk to your teammates? _

_ Aren't you two going to stop to rest? _

Even though the answers were all a resounding  _ no, _ Kakashi refused to answer. He didn't want to be caught talking to himself again, and it wasn't really worth the effort anyway. 

Kakashi was huddled on a branch, a small map being carved into the tree as Tenzo explained what he had seen on his recon. The enemy camp was right through the trees, and Kakashi was a bit surprised they had been allowed to get so close.

"Are all your missions this brutal?" Shisui asked in a whisper. 

Honestly, Kakashi was just glad that his imagination still had volume control. If it had been  _ Obito  _ that Kakashi's brain had conjured up, he had no doubt that his ex-teammate would be shouting and flailing all day. 

"Kakashi, don't look, but there is an enemy about ten paces back, watching you two make your plans." Shisui spoke softly. 

Kakashi froze, a small hesitation that instantly had Tenzo on edge. Kakashi reached forward, grabbing the kunai from him. "That's a solid plan." He whispered, knowing that Tenzo had only been halfway through explaining himself. "But what if we try it this way instead?"

Kakashi carved carefully into the branch, Tenzo's large eyes tracking his every movement. 

**_Eyes_ ** _.  _ **_Ten paces back._ ** __

Tenzo nodded. "Yes… I suppose that would certainly work better." He replied, planting his hands firmly to the tree branch to extend his senses out. 

Kakashi waited, pretending to examine their plans a little more. Either he would look like an idiot… or he needed to re-examine just what the hell was going on here. 

A small noise echoed behind them, small enough to be mistaken for a squirrel or bird if they hadn't been listening for it. Kakashi turned back to see that Tenzo had used the tree the spy had been leaning against to stab a branch through the man's throat. His lifeless body collapsed onto the ground, and Kakashi could tell that Tenzo was watching him carefully.

"How did you know?" Tenzo asked plainly, his emotionless eyes assessing the situation.

Kakashi shrugged, making sure not to look to his left, where Shisui's standard shinobi sandals were in his peripherals. "Just a hunch." His gut feelings had saved them before plenty of times, and it seemed like the only good excuse he had to give.

Shisui remained quiet throughout the rest of the mission, following like an uncomfortable shadow as Kakashi and Tenzo strategically cleared out the camp of enemies. 

It wasn't until Kakashi was on watch duty, sitting high up in the trees while Tenzo slept that the younger man decided to speak again. 

"Are you going to eat something now? Your mission is complete." Shisui asked quietly, settling on the branch beside him. Kakashi could feel the man's presence, but not a single leaf stirred as Shisui moved. 

He sighed. He hadn't eaten throughout the entire day, too worried about what was going on with his brain. Now, he was even  _ more  _ confused… if that was possible. Shisui had alerted him to an enemy… one that he hadn't seen or noticed. One that was  _ behind  _ him, out of his eyesight. 

It shouldn't be possible. Not when Shisui was a figment of his imagination.

Kakashi pulled a ration bar out of the pouch strapped to his leg, glaring flatly at the younger man as he opened it. He ate the bar by moving bite-sized pieces under his Anbu mask. Even if Shisui wasn't real, he didn't feel comfortable showing his face just yet. 

" _ Happy now _ ?" He whispered when he was finished.

Shisui shrugged. "It's a start. You should listen to me more often."

Kakashi huffed, removing the ceramic mask over his face just so that Shisui would get the full effect of his glare. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Senpai?" Tenzo whispered, jumping up onto the branch only a few inches away from where Shisui was sitting. "Who are you talking to?"

Kakashi groaned internally. It seemed that Tenzo had the absolute  _ worst _ timing in the world. "Maa… just trying to keep myself awake." He answered dismissively, though he could tell that his younger teammate was not swayed by his words. 

Tenzo stared at him blankly for a minute, to the point that Shisui started squirming beside him. "Alright then. Maybe I should take watch… I'm not tired anymore, so it shouldn't be a problem." He answered, apparently coming to the conclusion that Kakashi simply needed to sleep. 

Kakashi stared down at the branch for a moment. He was getting worried. Hallucinations… and he was  _ talking  _ to them. "Maybe… since we are both awake, we should just head home." Kakashi mumbled, standing back on his tired legs. He could see Shisui shaking his head judgmentally to the side, but ignored it in favor of meeting Tenzo's gaze. The younger man nodded, and they packed up camp together. Neither of them said a word, but Kakashi could tell that he hadn't eased Tenzo's worry one bit. 

They ran home side-by-side, and entered the village together. 

"Senpai? Would you like to get a drink or something?" Tenzo asked quietly. 

Kakashi's immediate response was to shake his head, and he definitely didn't miss the fractional slump of Tenzo's shoulders. The captain turned from his kohai, walking away without a word. 

"He's just watching you leave." Shisui muttered. Kakashi ignored it, continuing to forge his way home. 

Shisui huffed. "If you don't do  _ something _ , he's going to report you. You can't act all moody and withdrawn  _ and  _ be caught talking to yourself." 

Kakashi stopped walking, sighing to himself. Of course, Shisui was right. Tenzo would worry about Kakashi getting himself killed. He needed to make an effort; extend an olive branch of some sort. 

Kakashi turned, spotting Tenzo still just standing where they had parted. His head tilted to the side, Anbu mask firmly in place over his face. 

"I'm too tired tonight, is all. Tomorrow night we can grab a drink, assuming we don't have a mission." Kakashi spoke with a small shrug, just loud enough that Tenzo would hear it echoing through the night. He couldn't see the younger man's eyes from this distance, but he saw his shoulders drop in what he assumed was relief. Tenzo bowed shallowly before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Kakashi didn't  _ want  _ to go out for drinks… but perhaps it was the better option at this point. Kakashi huffed his annoyance and walked home, ready to collapse back onto his bed, and ignoring the smug looks Shisui was sending his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys understand how difficult it is for me to write Kakashi being a dismissive ass towards Tenzo 🤣


	3. Chapter 3

Shisui was kind enough not to speak when Kakashi spent three hours staring at the memorial stone the following morning. Afterwards, when Kakashi trained himself into the ground, Shisui still just sat silently. 

Somehow, it seemed wrong. Like the other being quiet was a bad omen of sorts, and Kakashi was getting curious. 

"You've been quiet." Kakashi mumbled after he collapsed down into the grass, very aware of the fact that he was once again talking to himself. 

Shisui was sprawled out in the grass next to him, staring up at the clouds. He hummed an affirmation, not really answering his question. 

Kakashi huffed. The man hadn't left him alone for nearly a week, and now suddenly he was quiet? "What is your deal?" 

Shisui sat up, crossing his legs and reaching down to pick at the grass. Kakashi's eye didn't miss the fact that Shisui  _ couldn't  _ physically touch the soft green strands, his fingers simply passing through. "I don't know. I thought maybe you'd earned a  _ break  _ from me annoying you… since you agreed to go out with Tenzo tonight." 

Kakashi had a feeling that it wasn't the whole story, but reprimanded himself mentally for even  _ caring.  _ Shisui was  _ imaginary _ . Should it really bother him that the guy didn't talk as much for a little while? 

Kakashi simply shook his head, and closed his eyes to take a small nap in the grass.

~

Forcing himself to get ready to meet Tenzo was more difficult than any mission. He didn't  _ want  _ to go. He didn't want to spend time out in public. 

He was  _ Kakashi of the sharingan.  _ The copy ninja. 

_ Friend-killer Kakashi.  _

While it had been at least a year since anyone had dared say that to Kakashi's face, he was more than aware of the whispers that still followed him through town. 

Shisui remained quiet for the most part, only commenting when he felt that Kakashi was trying to talk himself out of going. 

The walk to the bar was quick. At 18, Tenzo was barely old enough to enter the establishment, so Kakashi was surprised when he picked the place. His kohai didn't seem the type to enjoy engaging in these types of situations. 

Still, Tenzo was predictably there already, waiting on a stool by the bar. 

"Senpai." He greeted warmly, not showing an ounce of the surprise he undoubtedly had that Kakashi actually showed. 

"Kohai." Kakashi greeted curtly, sitting on a stool next to him. Tenzo already had a beer in hand, the label partially peeled and picked apart. Kakashi had never seen Tenzo display such anxiety before, and it was a bit of a shock. 

Shisui took a seat up on the edge of the bar, his legs hanging down by Kakashi's left side. 

"I'm a bit surprised that you agreed to come out tonight." Tenzo admitted quietly. "You've had me a bit worried lately." 

Kakashi hummed, motioning for the bartender to bring him a drink. He chose not to address Tenzo's concerns, though the younger man couldn't have been that surprised by that fact. "Interesting choice of location." 

Tenzo went on an explanation about how he had thought it might help make Kakashi more comfortable, but he wasn't really listening. 

Kakashi was busy theorizing. Maybe if he became inebriated, his brain wouldn't be able to conjure up an imaginary character. Shisui noticed the look on his face, and simply arched a black eyebrow. 

~

At some point, Kakashi had lost sight of his goal. Tenzo had started slurring his words nearly four drinks ago, and Kakashi wasn't that far behind. 

He would be mortified in the morning when he remembered the duet he had just sang on stage with Tenzo, but for now he was having a blast. 

"Senpai, I'm glad you came out." Tenzo announced with a smile, his drink sloshing around in his hand. "You are kinda like  _ family  _ to me, ya know?" 

Kakashi chuckled, his mask barely hanging on the edge of his nose. "This is fun! I'm glad I came out too!" He shouted, turning his gaze towards an amused Shisui leaning on the bar. "Thanks for talking me into this." 

"Senpai? Who are you talking to?" Tenzo asked curiously, swaying on his feet.

"You, of course!" Kakashi answered jovially, successfully covering for himself. 

"You should probably slow down now." Shisui whispered near his ear, his amusement still clear in his voice. 

Kakashi nodded, slamming his drink down on the bar and looking towards Tenzo. "Kohai! I think I ought to head home now, but this has been good." He announced, not even waiting for Tenzo to answer before ambling to the front door of the establishment. He barely managed to make it without slamming into anyone, only his honed skills saving him from making a laughing stock out of himself. 

The air was cool and welcoming outside, and just that small amount of fresh air was enough to sober him up a little bit. Kakashi smiled at Shisui, who continued to follow him dutifully. 

"You did good, Kakashi. I think you made good progress today." Shisui spoke softly, walking along Kakashi as he tried not to stumble into the street. 

He was unsuccessful, the edge of his sandal catching on a particularly large rock and throwing him completely off balance. He barreled towards Shisui, reaching his arms out in an attempt to catch himself on the other man. It didn't work, and Kakashi found himself flat on the ground, staring up at the sky. 

Shisui's worried face leaned over his, and Kakashi only started laughing. "You didn't catch me!" He accused playfully. 

Shisui's worry turned into a smile. "I  _ can't _ ." He answered with a shrug. "Or I would have." 

Kakashi rolled his one visible eye. "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. You're  _ imaginary _ ." 

Shisui's brows furrowed. "I'm  _ not  _ imaginary. You really thought that? I  _ showed  _ you my wings." 

Kakashi picked himself up off the ground, every minute sobering him up just a bit more. He took a moment to simply  _ look  _ at Shisui. The man was watching him with furrowed brows, determination etched on his face. 

Kakashi pursed his lips. If Shisui  _ was  _ a part of his imagination, there really wouldn't be any reason for him to lie about it. "If you aren't imaginary… then what  _ are  _ you?" He asked, turning back towards his apartment. 

Shisui huffed, following him quickly. "I  _ tried  _ to tell you before. I'm an Uchiha. I'm here to  _ help  _ you." 

Kakashi scoffed. "And how exactly are  _ you _ supposed to help?" His steel gray eye focused on his companion, his focus nearly taking away his buzz from the alcohol. 

"I'm an  _ angel _ , you  _ ass _ ." Shisui announced, his giant black wings making another appearance as Shisui crossed his arms angrily. "I'm  _ trying  _ to help you realize that you are pushing everyone away, and going down the wrong path!" 

Kakashi glared at him as they walked. The idea was simply preposterous. Angels didn't exist. He chose not to answer again, picking up his pace so they could continue this conversation indoors. 

Once inside, Kakashi turned to face the so-called "angel". "How am I supposed to believe that? You can't even prove that you are actually an  _ Uchiha,  _ let alone an  _ angel." _

Shisui scowled. "You didn't  _ ask  _ me to prove it." 

Shisui made a visible attempt to calm down, closing his eyes and moving a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Look. I can't use chakra in this state. I can change my eyes to activate the sharingan, but it literally does me no good. But if it means that much to you, I'll show you." He announced calmly. 

When Shisui opened his eyes again, Kakashi's breath left him in a gasp. 

_ Sharingan.  _ And not just  _ regular  _ sharingan. Shisui had the mangekyou activated in both eyes. 

Shisui's face softened. "Now… can't you atleast admit that you had a lot of fun with Tenzo tonight? I'm  _ trying  _ to help you… but you  _ really  _ aren't making this easy." 

Kakashi huffed, all of the fight going out of him at Shisui's defeated stance. "Yeah. Okay. Maybe your ideas aren't  _ all  _ bad." He admitted in a mumble. 

Shisui's face immediately morphed into his usual giant smile, his eyes changing easily back to their normal black color. "Finally!" He shouted enthusiastically. "I  _ knew  _ you weren't a lost cause!" 

Kakashi shook his head, chuckling under his breath at the other man's excitement. He still wasn't entirely convinced of all this  _ angel business _ , but he could admit that Shisui seemed to genuinely want to help him. 

Kakashi just wouldn't admit it  _ out loud.  _


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a double update! I have added both chapter 3, AND 4 at the same time!   
> Make sure you don't miss out on chapter 3!

Over the next week, Kakashi started accepting Shisui's advice, though not without at least a little bit of a fight. So far, Shisui had convinced him to eat at least two meals a day, and had even talked him into sparring with Tenzo on two separate occasions. 

Even Kakashi could admit that Tenzo seemed especially happy to spend time with him. He couldn't quit thinking about what Tenzo had said that night at the bar. 

_ "You are kinda like  _ **_family_ ** _ to me, ya know?" _

Kakashi didn't  _ have  _ any family. They had all died long ago… but atleast Kakashi had some nice memories with some of them. Tenzo had nothing. Maybe it was time to make a bigger effort. 

Kakashi was sitting on his couch reading, enjoying what little time he had to relax. Shisui was pacing around the room, but was thankfully being quiet. Kakashi watched him for a moment, and started to think about the younger man's situation. 

Shisui wasn't able to touch anything, he wasn't able to talk to anyone other than Kakashi, and he didn't appear to be able to leave Kakashi's side.

That… would be a boring existence. Kakashi sighed, putting his book down. Shisui turned to look at him, one eyebrow arched. 

"So… you're an Uchiha? Does that mean you are…" Kakashi asked, gesturing with his hand in an effort to not finish the sentence. 

"Dead?" Shisui asked with a knowing smile. "Yes. I am." 

The Uchiha moved over and sat on the couch. It was still strange how Shisui could walk or sit on things, but not actually interact with them. 

Kakashi hummed. "How old are you?" 

Shisui sat cross-legged, his arms resting on his knees. "I'm eighteen. Or… I guess I  _ was. _ " 

Kakashi nodded. He felt bad for the other man's boring life… but also didn't wish to have any deep conversations at the moment. Perhaps a few questions at a time were enough. 

"Would you like to read over my shoulder?" He asked, hoping that it would be enough to entertain the poor man for a while. 

Shisui's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really? that would be awesome!" 

Kakashi chuckled, flipping his copy of Icha-Icha back to the first page while Shisui scooted closer. If he were a real person, he would be practically sitting in Kakashi's lap. Thankfully, Kakashi couldn't feel anything other than the part of his brain that simply acknowledged that the presence was there. 

If Kakashi  _ happened _ to decide that it was a little nice to have someone else around… nobody needed to know.

~

Kakashi and Tenzo were called out to another mission, and Kakashi found himself taking the nightwatch yet again. 

This time the mission had felt different. He allowed himself and Tenzo to take a few breaks in their travels, and had even engaged in a small amount of conversation while they ate. 

It was all Shisui's idea, though Kakashi couldn't just  _ tell him  _ that it made the mission less miserable. 

"Tenzo seems to really enjoy talking with you." Shisui mused. "I think he views you as a sort of big brother." 

Kakashi huffed a laugh. "Maybe. He should have picked someone better though." 

Shisui frowned. "You aren't a bad person, Kakashi. Bad things have just  _ happened  _ to you."

Kakashi pursed his lips beneath his ceramic and fabric mask, though neither of those had kept Shisui from reading his emotions thus far. 

"You can't believe the things people say about you, kakashi. They don't have the whole story.  _ They weren't there _ . _ " _ Shisui pleaded. 

"Neither were you." Kakashi grumbled. 

Shisui sighed, sitting down on the branch next to him. "No. I wasn't. I wish I could have been, though." 

Kakashi furrowed his brows. "Why?"

"Senpai? Who are you talking to?" Tenzo asked as he joined them up in the tree. Frankly, Kakashi was tired of trying to explain this all away. Tenzo had the absolute worst timing in the world. 

"Maybe you should try to tell him." Shisui mumbled, rubbing one hand behind the back of his head. 

Kakashi turned towards Tenzo, contemplating his options. There weren't many left, seeing as how Kakashi felt too bad to start ignoring Shisui again. Tenzo would continue to hear him talking to himself and would report him. 

Kakashi sighed, reaching up to take off his ceramic mask. "Take a seat, tenzo." 

"The worst that could happen is he reports you… and honestly I think he might even if you  _ don't _ tell him." Shisui added, practically reading Kakashi's mind. 

He shot one last glance at Shisui, something Tenzo likely noticed, before turning back to his friend. Tenzo had removed his mask as well, and was very visibly concerned. 

"Tenzo… I don't really know how to say this… but I have a guardian angel." Kakashi started, watching as Tenzo's face didn't change even a little. "I know it's hard to believe. I had quite a hard time believing it myself, actually. I thought he was imaginary at first."

"He?" Tenzo prompted, tilting his head a little bit. 

"Yeah." Kakashi admitted sheepishly. It's … Shisui Uchiha." 

Tenzo frowned, his brown eyes fixating on the bark by his feet. "You mean… Itachi's cousin? The one that killed himself?" 

Immediately, Kakashi's mind supplied the memories. 

Itachi's cousin. The one that killed himself and started Itachi's downward spiral. The Uchiha believed Itachi had murdered him… but Kakashi had never believed it. He turned to look at Shisui, who's silence was telling. 

"Yeah. That's the one." Kakashi answered honestly. "He's been following me around for a couple weeks now."

Tenzo was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Why?"

Kakashi huffed a laugh. "He says I'm an asshole, and I need to change my ways." 

Tenzo smiled a little at that. "Well… he might be right about that."

Kakashi's eyebrow raised. "You  _ believe  _ me?" 

Tenzo met his gaze, clearly thinking about his answer. "Not really."

Kakashi felt his heart drop a bit, his future looking to be filled with the Yamanaka clan poking at his brain. 

"But… I can definitely see that  _ whatever  _ is going on with you is a good thing. You seem…  _ better _ . I won't say anything to anyone about it unless I think it is becoming a serious issue." Tenzo replied with a smile. 

Kakashi sighed in relief, noticing that Shisui seemed much more relaxed as well. "Thank you, Tenzo."

The younger boy smiled. "So tell me about this  _ Shisui Uchiha _ ." 

~

The next night, when Tenzo was on watch, Kakashi was woken by Shisui's frantic yelling. 

"Tenzo fell asleep! There's someone on the edge of camp!" He shouted, pointing into the darkness. Kakashi was out of his bed roll in a heartbeat, kunai in hand. 

He jumped up into the trees, waking Tenzo before they went after the enemy together. 

Two enemies were waiting in the darkness, but Kakashi and Tenzo were able to take care of them easily enough. Once Tenzo buried them with an earth style jutsu, he began to frantically apologize. 

"I'm so sorry, Senpai! I didn't realize I was falling asleep!" Tenzo spoke with worry. 

"It's okay, Tenzo. Nobody was hurt." Kakashi answered, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart down from the adrenaline. 

"No, it's  _ not _ . We would have been killed if you hadn't sensed them." Tenzo reasoned, staring at the ground with a frown. 

"I  _ didn't _ sense them, Tenzo. I was dead asleep." Kakashi replied, patting Tenzo's shoulder. "We wore ourselves out on this mission. I understand." 

Tenzo's brows furrowed even more. "You were asleep? What woke you?"

Kakashi chuckled, nodding towards Shisui, who was standing a few feet away. "Shisui woke me up. He told me you had fallen asleep, and that there was someone on the edge of our camp." 

"Your…  _ angel _ … woke you up?" Tenzo asked in disbelief. 

Kakashi simply nodded, turning towards the man who had likely saved their lives. "Thank you, Shisui." 

"Yeah… erm… thanks." Tenzo added awkwardly, clearly still not believing that Kakashi was really talking to anyone. The younger man replaced his ceramic mask. "I'll go continue my watch." 

Shisui and Kakashi watched him jump back into the trees. "I think he might be starting to believe you." Shisui mused, watching as the younger man settled back on a branch. 

"You think so?" Kakashi answered skeptically. He didn't quite see it… but so far Shisui had proved himself to be exceptionally good at reading people.

"Yeah." He replied with a smile. "You should probably get some rest now, Kakashi." Shisui added, walking slowly towards the bed roll that Kakashi had left earlier. 

Now that he had calmed himself down, he knew Shisui was right. It wasn't likely that any more enemies would show up… but Kakashi was starting to trust that Shisui could watch his back either way. "Goodnight, Shisui." He found himself saying as he settled in comfortably. 

Shisui turned to him, surprise evident on his face. "Goodnight, Kakashi."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Sorry it took so long to update. I have been in one hell of a slump! Hopefully, this is a sign of things turning back around for me. There is a lot of dialogue in this chapter, but that isn't surprising considering. Enjoy! 💜

Shisui made for interesting company. The more Kakashi talked to him, the more Kakashi found that he enjoyed it. 

Shisui was brilliant, and seemed to have something smart to say about  _ everything _ . When Kakashi was alone, they traded stories. They spoke of past missions and stories from their childhood. 

When Tenzo was around, the talking continued. Kakashi mediated, and learned more about the younger man than he ever had before. Tenzo didn't seem put off by the conversations with Shisui. In fact, he seemed more inclined to spend time with Kakashi than ever, and was constantly finding himself in his captain's apartment. 

It wasn't until one night when they were alone, after nearly two months of having Shisui by his side, that Kakashi thought to ask his companion something he should have asked from the very beginning. 

Kakashi was sprawled out on his couch, Icha-Icha discarded to the side in favor of having a conversation. Shisui was sitting gracefully on the backrest, his feet planted causally in between Kakashi's ankle. The Anbu had found that Shisui's closeness never bothered him. Perhaps it was the fact that the younger man couldn't actually interact with him.

Or, it could be the fact that Kakashi felt himself drawn closer and closer to Shisui by the day… not that he would ever admit that fact out loud. 

"Shisui… can I ask you something…  _ personal? _ " Kakashi drawled lazily, trying to put on an air of nonchalance, even though his heart was racing inside of his chest.

Shisui wasn't fooled. His sharp eyes focused on Kakashi's own, the air in the room suddenly feeling constricting. "Sure. I don't see why not." 

"Why did you do it?" Kakashi asked vaguely, knowing by the way Shisui tensed at the question that he knew exactly what he meant.

"Why did I commit suicide?" He replied quietly, and Kakashi only nodded in response. He had  _ believed  _ that Itachi had not killed his cousin. Had known it deep within the depths of his heart…

but hearing it from the man himself? That was another thing entirely. Relief spread through his bones. Even knowing of what Itachi had done…  _ seeing  _ the corpses himself… it was good to know that Itachi wasn't  _ exactly _ what they said he was. 

"It's… kind of a wild story." Shisui mumbled, looking down at his fiddling hands. Kakashi moved, sitting up and offering a reassuring hand… only to feel the couch under his fingers instead of Shisui's legs.

The Uchiha offered a knowing smile, even though his eyes were filled with a sadness that Kakashi could never hope to chase away. Not like this. Not when he couldn't even  _ touch  _ the other man. 

"I'm fine, Kakashi. I just didn't expect you to ask." Shisui answered with a shrug. "I'll tell you… I just need you to know that it is not the story you will be expecting."

Kakashi kept his eyes trained on Shisui, his hand retreating back to his own lap. He was still sitting closer in what he hoped was a sign of support, but he didn't try to force Shisui to tell his story faster than he wanted. 

"I was a spy for Konoha before my death. It may be hard to believe… but Itachi was as well. We were both double agents, giving information to the village on the movements of our clan while simultaneously giving information to Fugaku and the elders." Shisui's voice was soft, as if he was speaking tof some sort of conspiracy, and Kakashi was enraptured from the very start. 

"Itachi had it far worse than me. He was facing pressure from his father to give intel from the Anbu… even though he never intended to turn against the village."

Kakashi listened carefully as Shisui slowly described the unrest amongst his clan… of the planning of a rebellion. He had never heard a single whisper of such treason before. 

"I offered to use my Mangekyou sharingan against my own clan in front of Lord Hiruzen and Danzo. I wanted to implant thoughts into the mind of my own clan head in an attempt to quell the uprising. Of course, the Hokage accepted. It was the only thing we could possibly do to change the path the Uchiha were heading towards. Danzo called me to a meeting before I went to see Fugaku. He… didn't trust me. He thought I would use my eyes against him if I was given the chance."

Kakashi's heart nearly stopped as Shisui described the ambush. The phantom pain of losing an eye echoed through his skull, Obito's eye throbbing where it sat. 

"I didn't see much of a choice. Danzo would never let me live after that. I had to trust that Itachi would protect the village in my stead… and I suppose in a way he did exactly that."

Kakashi could see that Shisui was shaking… but there was nothing he could do. So many thoughts were pushing through his brain.  _ Why  _ did Itachi turn to massacring his own people? Surely, there was another way to stop the rebellion? Itachi was a spy for the village… and did everything to save them. Was he a victim in all of this as well? 

Danzo… was a threat. Always had been. Kakashi had known that since he had pried Tenzo away from his clutches. Thankfully, Shisui remained quiet and allowed him to process all of this information. 

It was too much. Kakashi honestly had no idea what to do with all of this information… but perhaps someone who knew Danzo better could provide some insight.

Kakashi stood, making his way to the center of the front room, and summoned Pakkun. Shisui didn't question his motives, not even when he sent the small dog off with orders to come back with Tenzo. 

"Shisui… I… I'm sorry that happened to you." Kakashi spoke sullenly, making his way back to the couch. "I'm going to make sure Danzo is brought to justice for what he has done. This cannot stand." 

Shisui's eyes widened, his shock written clearly across his face. Kakashi felt like a failure. He had failed to ask Shisui something that should have been very important. He had failed to see that Itachi was suffering so deeply. 

He would not fail Shisui again. 

The man deserved better. Even with such a heavy burden on his heart, he had pulled Kakashi out of his own ass and had made an incredible impact on his life. He was such a welcoming presence, full of sunshine and happiness in a way that Kakashi had only seen in his former sensei. 

Shisui deserved so much more than life had ever given him. The  _ least  _ Kakashi could do was to bring justice to the man that had essentially killed him. 

~

Tenzo arrived very quickly. The younger boy had sensed the urgency of the situation, and was ready for orders.

Even Tenzo, who knew Danzo better than Kakashi could even imagine, was not prepared for what he had to say. Tenzo didn't even know how to reply at first, weighing all of the information heavily. Kakashi was antsy, obviously very angry with such a personal attack on someone he was growing to care about. 

And he  _ did  _ care about the angel. Tenzo had noticed the change a while ago. Even just the way Kakashi said Shisui's name was full of underlying affection, and Tenzo would consider himself a failure as an Anbu if he didn't notice such a thing in someone that he considered to be family. Kakashi was the closest thing he would ever get to a brother, and Tenzo was angry on his behalf. 

"Senpai, I will look into this matter as well. It is possible that Hiruzen is unaware of Danzo's second eye entirely. Perhaps if we were able to prove that there was something amiss to the Hokage, he would look into the matter himself." Tenzo replied, feeling the burning itch start on his tongue as he danced around the edges of what the seal in his mouth would allow. Kakashi had always understood that Tenzo couldn't reveal everything he wanted to. He couldn't even discuss the mission they had gone on  _ together,  _ when Tenzo had been assigned to steal his eye. 

But this… this was something else entirely. Danzo's actions had directly led to the decimation of an entire clan, and the brunette wouldn't be all that surprised if the idea had been planted in Itachi's head by Danzo himself. 

Tenzo had tried not to think too much about Itachi… but it was inevitable given the circumstances. Tenzo had bonded with their silent teammate, and the wound was still fresh from Itachi's desertion. 

Maybe… after all of this… they would find out that Itachi wasn't the monster he appeared to be. 

Tenzo listened as Kakashi laid out a plan, including input from Shisui as they went. He could only hope that this would end with the seal being removed from his tongue, and with Danzo no longer being a threat to Kakashi. 


	6. Chapter 6

Tenzo was much more efficient at sneaking around unnoticed than Kakashi was. Truthfully, the duo was having a hard time finding evidence without arousing suspicion. 

Surprisingly, Shisui was not very helpful. Kakashi's angel was refusing to cooperate, becoming increasingly closed-off the longer they looked into it. 

Kakashi put aside the notes Tenzo had taken on Danzo's comings and goings, looking over to his kitchen table where Shisui was staring out the window. He sighed, setting his things aside and moving to comfort his friend. The younger man didn't move at his approach, though Kakashi was sure that it was nearly impossible for him to sneak up on an angel. 

"Shisui… why are you fighting this so hard? Why don't you want Danzo brought to justice?" Kakashi asked softly, sitting across from the Uchiha. 

Shisui huffed, turning his beautiful eyes away from the garden outside to meet Kakashi's own. Kakashi was blown away every time Shisui looked at him, and his feelings were getting harder and harder to ignore. Shisui was absolutely beautiful.

But what did it matter?

Even if Kakashi acknowledged the fact that he cared for Shisui… nothing could be done about it. Shisui might as well have been imaginary. Nothing could change that, and Kakashi tried very hard to distract himself from that fact.

"I  _ do  _ want Danzo to pay for what he's done. I just… don't want this to end with you or Tenzo getting hurt." Shisui replied softly, tilting his head as his mouth drew into a thin line. "Danzo won't go down without a fight. I can't believe for  _ a second  _ that he would even consider giving himself over to the authorities. Besides… he has already tried to kill you  _ once.  _ If he catches wind of Tenzo sneaking around, he will know it is on your behalf."

Kakashi inhaled slowly, trying to keep his emotions in check. Shisui was right about Danzo, but that didn't mean they couldn't be successful in taking him down. No one knew more about how Danzo fought than the third Hokage, and Shisui's insight into how he had been using his sharingan was certainly helpful. "This is happening whether you help us or not, Shisui." Kakashi answered, standing and moving around to Shisui's side of the table. Black eyes tracked him carefully, but he still didn't move. "If you helped us… this could go a lot more smoothly. You know that."

Shisui sighed, finally moving to sit back in his chair. "Fine. Call your other teammate in for a meeting. I know how you can convince the Hokage."

"Tenzo? He will be back in an hour or so." Kakashi answered quickly, confusion making itself known in his voice.

Shisui shook his head. "No… the  _ other  _ one.  _ Ko Hyuga." _

~

Kakashi stood in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi proudly, with Tenzo on his left, and Ko on his right. The meeting had been harder to secure than he had expected, since they needed it to be at a time when Danzo and his subordinates were not anywhere near the building at the same time. 

"This is rather unlike you, Kakashi. What has prompted you to call this unexpected meeting?" Hiruzen asked calmly, taking a long draw on his pipe when he was finished. 

"Are we alone, Sir?" Kakashi asked quietly, watching as the Hokage merely nodded in response. He had  _ asked  _ for the meeting to be private, but he wasn't certain if the elder man would listen. Kakashi still waited for Shisui's confirmation, assuring him that he didn't detect anyone around either. "I can give you evidence that Lord Danzo has betrayed the village. He was the catalyst in the extermination of the Uchiha, and was the direct cause of the death of Shisui Uchiha." 

Hiruzen was silent for a moment, eyes assessing the trio as he let the words sink in. "What evidence do you have?"

"I have the testimonial of Shisui Uchiha himself, written shortly before his death, and proof that he has a stolen sharingan beneath the bandages on his right eye, Sir." Kakashi answered strongly. 

"A testimonial? How exactly did you get your hands on such a thing? We found nothing of the sort after his death." Hiruzen questioned, his tone becoming very serious after such strong accusations. 

A quick glance towards Shisui, who was slowly pacing throughout the room, and Kakashi pulled the transcript he had written out earlier in the day from within his uniform. "I was given this shortly before Shisui committed suicide. It was sealed, and I was under the impression that it was of little importance at the time. I have finally managed to unseal it. I think you will find that this testimony will suffice." Kakashi answered, setting the pages carefully on the man's desk. 

Shisui's pacing stopped as he quickly picked them up and read through them. Truthfully, Kakashi had a difficult time writing those words down. Shisui had been able to recount word-for-word his private conversations with Hiruzen and Danzo both about using his Kotoamatsukami on his own blood relatives, and Kakashi hoped that would be enough to convince the stubborn old fool to finally see Danzo for what he was. 

Writing down Danzo's attack in detail had not been something Kakashi had prepared for. He had rewritten that specific page three different times to make sure his shaking hand wasn't making the entire thing illegible. Phantom pain shot through his eye just  _ thinking  _ about it.

Hiruzen's eyebrows slowly raised as he continued reading, his eyes never leaving the pages carefully clutched in his fingers. Finally, he looked up, his eyes stern as he met Kakashi's gaze. "Can you prove he has another sharingan in place of the one he had during his attack on Shisui? If this is as accurate as I believe it to be, then he destroyed the one he originally had."

Kakashi nodded, glancing towards Ko. "The Byakugan can see a sharingan, even if it is covered and not in use. I had Ko practice with my own sharingan until he knew what to look for." 

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "And what exactly have you seen, Ko?" 

Ko took a single step forward, bowing to the Hokage before speaking. "Lord Third, I  _ have  _ seen another sharingan hidden behind Lord Danzo's bandages. In fact, once I knew what to look for, I discovered something else, too." 

After a brief pause, and a careful look shot back towards Kakashi, Ko continued. "Lord Danzo has more than one sharingan. I'm not sure why… but he has at least ten sharingan implanted in his right arm. I… don't know how, Sir."

Hiruzen was pale, his pipe long-forgotten on the desk. He stared down at the papers, saying nothing. Ko stepped backwards again, and Kakashi moved forward to take his place. 

"I have been actively trying to find a work around for Danzo's silencing seal, and have so far managed to learn that Danzo had been working with Orochimaru in the past. The snake sannin probably has the means and the skill to do a transplant of that sort." Kakashi reported. 

He had spent quite some time trying to find a way around Tenzo's seal, until finally they just went with the  _ "If the following statement is  _ **_true_ ** _ , don't say anything"  _ method. 

Hiruzen sighed. "I had concerns of my own with that after the original incident with Tenzo. The only way I can see him getting his hands on one of the children Orochimaru had stolen… was for him to have been in the lab before we officially found it." 

Kakashi remained still as the elderly man stood from his seat. Despite his age, he moved with a quiet sort of resolve that led Kakashi to believe that Danzo would  _ finally  _ be taken care of. By the look on Shisui's face, he thought the same thing. 

"Prepare to be called upon before the day is over. I will be making arrangements for this to be dealt with." Hiruzen replied sharply. "For now, keep this to yourselves, and try not to be caught on your own." 

Kakashi recognized the dismissal for what it was, and bowed his head before turning to leave the room. Tenzo would follow him back to his apartment so neither of them were alone, and Ko would likely return to his family's compound. 

Shisui was a constant presence at his side as they quickly made their way through the village, though the younger man didn't say anything. Nervousness was buzzing through Kakashi's veins, but there was nothing that could really be done about that. They needed to be battle ready at any given moment, ready to jump into the fray when called upon. This was going to be dangerous.  _ Lives would be lost tonight.  _ Kakashi had no doubts about that.

One look at Tenzo, and Kakashi could see he was nervous too. They were sitting on Kakashi's couch, but the younger man only stared at the carpet. Shisui was seated on the arm of the couch, as close as he could be to Kakashi's side without phasing through him. Looking between his two closest friends… Kakashi couldn't fight back the sense of unease that washed over him.

Danzo was going to be brought to justice… but what would be the cost?


	7. Chapter 7

Waiting was the worst part. Even Shisui was pacing through the apartment, eyebrows furrowed in concern. Tenzo had been silently staring out of the kitchen window for nearly an hour, and Kakashi could hardly stand it anymore. 

Kakashi tried not to have lengthy conversations with Shisui when Tenzo was around. Frankly, he knew that he appeared to be talking to nothing. Still, Kakashi walked across the front room to stand in the angel's path. 

Shisui stopped instantly, his giant beautiful eyes focusing on Kakashi's lone visible one. Kakashi simply stood still for a moment, lost to the world as he stared at the younger man. More than anything, he wanted to reach out, an unusual urge for Kakashi. 

Distantly, he was more than aware that he had captured Tenzo's attention, but that was far from important at the moment. 

"It's going to be okay… you know that, right?" Kakashi asked quietly. When Shisui's mouth pursed into a frown, the urge to lean forward and kiss him was strong. It was useless. He knew that, and still had to force himself to remain still. 

"It is perfectly normal to be worried, you know." Shisui answered, a small blush rising on his face. 

The Uchiha's blush was cute, as was his worry. Kakashi huffed a laugh. "Are you worried about me?"

Shisui huffed playfully, crossing his arms as he tried to fight a smile from his face. _ "Of course not.  _ That would imply that I cared."

"Maa… wouldn't want anyone to think  _ that. _ " Kakashi answered with a smile. "But if you  _ were  _ worried, I would tell you that I will be careful."

Shisui tilted his head adorably, his shoulders relaxing a little bit from the admission. "Well, I hope you find someone who cares." He replied with a cheesy smile, walking around Kakashi to settle on the couch. 

Kakashi carefully avoided Tenzo's gaze as he turned, following  _ his _ angel to the other side of the room with a soft smile on his face. 

~

Tenzo took a quick breath as he dodged a particularly well-aimed fireball jutsu. He was exhausted, sweaty, and halfway certain that he had a gaping hole beneath his right arm… not that he had the time to check. 

Taking on the entire Root force had sounded reasonable in theory, but even having an inside view on their intense training had not prepared him for this fight. It had been far too long since he had been involved in the program, and the amount of Shinobi that were involved had increased tenfold. 

Not only that, but their arsenal had greatly expanded. Even with Shisui assisting Kakashi with verbal cues and Tenzo's mokuton, they were struggling on their end of the giant room. 

Lord Hiruzen had disappeared into another room to chase down Danzo a while back, but they couldn't afford to leave all of these pawns unchecked. 

Capturing them was a nightmare. Tenzo kept wishing off and on that they had been given a kill order, even though it went against everything Kakashi had taught him since leaving this dreadful place. 

Even while fighting for his life, Tenzo couldn't help but watch Kakashi. The man had changed in a way that he had never imagined he could. He had been  _ smiling  _ earlier while they had been waiting. A  _ genuine  _ smile even. 

Shisui had clearly broken through all of Kakashi's barriers, and Tenzo wanted nothing more than for it to work out… but he could not imagine a scenario where that would be possible. 

Searing pain shot through Tenzo's arm as a kunai dug its way into his shoulder. He hadn't been paying nearly enough attention to the fight.

Thankfully, it was then that Terumi, an Aburame woman that had been in the Root program for longer than Tenzo could ever know ran into the room shouting.

"Lord Danzo is dead! Lay down your weapons!"

The energy in the room took a drastic turn. Weapons were being dropped to the floor by many, even while others were attempting to flee. Without Danzo, the entire operation fell to the ground. Fear could never breed true loyalty. Tenzo had learned that a very long time ago.

Tenzo turned to his senpai, and froze. There was someone standing next to Kakashi, his body ready for battle even though he carried no weapons. The man wasn't anyone that Tenzo recognized, which meant that he was likely Root. 

Tenzo acted quickly, moving towards his captain while ripping the kunai out of his arm. 

"Senpai! Be careful!" Tenzo shouted, staring at the man whose attention was now focused on him.  _ Good.  _ He would much rather an enemy be focused on him instead of Kakashi. 

Kakashi readied himself immediately, looking around frantically and completely missing the man that was within three feet of him. 

The enemy's brows furrowed in confusion as they locked eyes. "Tenzo? You can see me?" 

Tenzo froze again, the rough handle of the borrowed kunai digging into his palm. Kakashi was looking back and forth between them, his eyes contemplative. Tenzo had an idea of what was happening… but it seemed impossible. 

Kakashi turned to the man that Tenzo was starting to believe was Shisui. If Tenzo  _ could  _ see Kakashi's guardian angel, then it should have been a happy moment. 

But it wasn't. 

_ "Shisui?! What's wrong?"  _

Tenzo didn't miss the edge of  _ panic  _ in Kakashi's usually calm voice. His eyes flickered between the widened eyes of his captain, and the strange state that Shisui appeared to be caught in. 

His body was  _ fading.  _ Shisui seemed to be leaving this plane of existence just as quickly as he had joined it. 

Only… Kakashi had been able to see him either way before. Now, Shisui was fading away in Kakashi's vision as well, and he was not taking it very well. 

Tenzo tuned out Kakashi's panicked shouting, his mind searching for a way to help keep his senpai from losing yet another one of his precious people. 

Tenzo thought back to his years spent trapped underground within the walls of the Foundation, pouring over scrolls left behind by the first Hokage in an attempt to enhance his mokuton. 

Hashirama Senju had left a lot of useful things behind when it came to jutsu, but none of it could help Tenzo now. Instead Tenzo's mind latched on to a single sentence, one that he had never really given a second thought until now. 

_ When wielded with love, the mokuton is capable of giving life.  _

A simple notion, and one that Tenzo had read as a child and dismissed as the ramblings of a daydreamer. 

Tenzo's feet were moving before his brain had truly processed the thought, his heart having already made the decision that his mind had hardly begun to wrap itself around. 

_ When wielded with love.  _

Tenzo had never quantified the feelings he held for Kakashi. The man was  _ family _ . His  _ only  _ family, and Tenzo would build a whole new world for him... or burn this one to ashes for him if he only asked. 

What were those feelings if not love? What else could you call it when you cared for someone at irrational levels? 

Tenzo ran forward, absently pushing Kakashi to the side as he focused on those thoughts. Kakashi had saved him from the darkest point in his life, and had brought him out into the sun. 

Shisui, however, had done what Tenzo couldn't. Tenzo had not been able to make Kakashi's eyes light up with love and affection, and he hadn't wanted to. But he would be damned if that was taken away from the older man like  _ this.  _

Tenzo wrapped his arms around shisui, pouring himself and all of his love out through his chakra points. Shisui's eyes barely had time to widen before the world was encased in blinding light. 

Somewhere, Kakashi was shouting.  _ Screaming _ , though nothing could be seen except for the bright light that Tenzo was certain was coming from himself. Tenzo tried to focus on the cold clammy skin in his arms, and the warm thoughts of the nights he spent at Kakashi's side. That was something worth sacrificing himself for. Even if this killed him, Tenzo could rest peacefully, if Shisui could remain at Kakashi's side. 

Just as Tenzo's vision faded to black, Shisui's skin warmed beneath his fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had debated whether I should just change the chapter count to 7, and turn both of the last chapters into one longer one. I hate cliffhangers! I really do! But I was convinced that this was the way to go, and I stand by that choice. I hope you like this chapter, and I anticipate the next one coming around much faster.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this wonderful artwork of Shisui, created by the amazing artist @belorahels!  
> [Winged Shisui](https://belorahels.tumblr.com/post/183242331901)
> 
> Let me know what you think! Comments make my day!


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